IAA Network and IDIA Formalise Cooperation on Innovation Policy and Capacity Building
The Innovation Agencies in Africa Network and the International Development Innovation Alliance on December 3, 2025 signed a strategic partnership in Nairobi, setting out a two year framework for joint work on peer learning, capacity strengthening and innovation ecosystem development across the continent. The agreement was concluded during the IDIA Global Summit and was led for the African network by Dr Tonny K. Omwansa, head of the IAA Network Secretariat.
The partnership links the Innovation Agencies in Africa Network, a pan African platform of national and regional innovation agencies, with the International Development Innovation Alliance, a global network focused on scaling innovation for development impact. It establishes structured collaboration across training, policy support, technology transfer and innovation financing, with a focus on practical exchange between agencies working in different national contexts. IDIA
Under the agreement, IDIA will provide the IAA Network with access to its pool of expert trainers and technical advisers, including contributors from leading academic and innovation institutions. The two sides will also co design and facilitate training programmes on innovation policy, ecosystem strengthening, research to commercialisation, data analysis and strategic communications.
“Success of the partnership will depend on the willingness of each Party to interact proactively, flexibly and collaboratively,” the agreement states, committing both sides to a “fix first, find fault later” approach to resolving implementation challenges.
For the IAA Network, the partnership is aimed at accelerating the expansion and strengthening of national innovation agencies with mandates to support innovation policy and ecosystem development.
IDIA will, in turn, draw on insights from IAA members to inform its global programming. The alliance will identify African technical experts for inclusion in its Global Innovation Advisor network and support connections between national agencies and international funding and partnership opportunities.
The agreement also provides for bi annual high level leadership sessions, one virtual and one in person, focused on shared priorities such as soft landing opportunities for innovations, long term financial sustainability of the IAA Network and potential partnerships with other global innovation platforms.
Alongside the signing, the IAA Secretariat participated in the three day IDIA Global Summit, engaging government officials, development partners, funders and innovators across thematic tracks on One Health, Urban Futures and Sustainable Livelihoods. Organisers described the summit as a platform for advancing dialogue on how innovation can address shared regional and global challenges and for identifying concrete opportunities for collective action.
The partnership will be reviewed at the end of the initial two year period, with renewal subject to mutual agreement and assessment of progress.